Dive Brief:
- Campbell is launching another new soup line, this time under its Garden Fresh brand, the company said in a news release.
- Like the brand's segment-leading refrigerated salsa product, the fresh soup line will be available in the refrigerated deli section.
- Garden Fresh pairs garden vegetables and herbs with common ingredients, such as white meat chicken, beans and grains, and on-trend foods like kale, roasted chiles and ancient grains.
Dive Insight:
If Campbell wants to try new things with its soup portfolio, it makes sense logistically and financially to innovate the Garden Fresh brand, which has existing products aligned with consumer trends and opportunity to branch into new territory.
In recent years, Campbell's has focused its acquisitions and product development on fresh packaged foods sold in refrigerated sections of the store. Compared to shelf-stable products available in the center aisles, Garden Fresh's fresh ingredients list is arguably more in line with clean label claims. Conversely, consumers may consider Campbell's namesake soup brand to be more processed, therefore less healthy.
This isn't Campbell's first new soup this year. The Well Yes line was announced this summer to embrace trends of clean labels and "real" food. Well Yes is among Campbell's ready-to-serve products, giving the company an opportunity to innovate in the canned soup category with ingredients, processing and packaging.